Reva's heart was thundering so hard she was sure the others could hear it.
For a few seconds, she couldn't tell where she was or what had happened. The world felt tilted, muffled, like she was underwater. Her ears rang faintly. The smell of hot metal and burnt rubber crept into the car, sharp and unpleasant.
Then reality slammed back in.
The seatbelt cut into her shoulder. Her hands were clenched in her lap without her remembering doing it. The windshield in front of them was intact but cracked at the edges, spiderweb lines spreading slowly like veins.
They had crashed.
"Is everyone okay?"
Vivaan's voice cut through the silence, strained but steady. He had already unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward them, panic carefully restrained behind composure.
Aria swallowed hard, then nodded, one hand pressed to her chest. "I... I think so."
Reva nodded too, though her throat felt tight and her limbs heavy. "I'm okay," she said, surprised her voice came out normal.
Vivaan exhaled sharply, relief flickering across his face. "Good. Don't move too fast. Just... breathe for a second."
Reva tried to do exactly that.
In.
Out.
Her heartbeat refused to slow.
Before any of them could say anything else, the front door of the other car flung open.
Hard.
Reva's gaze snapped up.
A tall man stepped out, movements sharp and aggressive, like he was already halfway into a fight. He had broad shoulders, dressed in an expensive black shirt that clung to him just enough to be intentional. His jaw was clenched tight, lips pressed into a thin line. Fury rolled off him in waves so strong it felt physical.
He didn't look injured. Not even shaken.
He looked angry.
Very angry.
He slammed the car door shut behind him and stalked toward them without hesitation.
"Vivaan," Aria whispered, fingers curling into his sleeve. "Maybe we should-"
Too late.
The man reached Vivaan's door in seconds and yanked it open with enough force to make the hinges protest.
Reva barely had time to process what was happening.
The man grabbed Vivaan by the collar, fingers fisting into his shirt, dragging him halfway out of the car.
"Are you fucking blind?" he snapped, voice deep and sharp, laced with rage. "Do you have any idea how you drive?"
"Hey-" Vivaan staggered as he was pulled forward, shock flashing across his face. "Wait, listen. It was an accid-.
The sentence never finished.
The punch landed hard.
Reva heard the sickening sound before she fully saw it. Fist connecting with bone. A dull crack that made her stomach drop.
Vivaan reeled back, losing his balance, stumbling a few steps before catching himself against the side of the car. Blood bloomed at the corner of his lip instantly.
Aria screamed.
Reva's mind went blank.
Not with fear.
With something colder.
Something furious.
Her body moved before thought could catch up.
She unbuckled her seatbelt and shoved the car door open with force. It swung wide, slamming against the side mirror. She stepped out, shoes hitting the road hard, her hands clenched into fists so tight her nails bit into her palms.
"Hey!" Aria cried behind her. "Reva-"
Reva didn't stop.
She closed the distance between them in quick, determined strides. The man had already turned back toward Vivaan, jaw tight, hand still curled like he was considering another blow.
Reva didn't give him the chance.
Her hand came up and struck his face with a sharp, echoing slap.
The sound cut through the chaos of the street like a gunshot.
Everything stopped.
The man froze, head snapping to the side from the impact. For a split second, disbelief crossed his features. No one had touched him like that. Not here. Not ever.
Reva stood in front of him, chest heaving, eyes blazing.
"๐ฟ๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ," she said.
Her voice was low. Controlled. Dangerous.
"๐๐ค๐ช๐๐," she continued, stepping closer, forcing him to look at her. "๐๐ฎ. ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐."
The man turned slowly, dark eyes locking onto hers.
๐๐ช๐ต๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ.
Cold. Furious. And now, sharp with something new.
Interest.
The air between them felt charged, heavy, like the moment before a storm breaks.
"Who do you think you are?" he demanded, voice deceptively calm. "Do you have any idea who you just-"
"I don't care," Reva cut in.
Her hands were still trembling, but she didn't step back. If anything, she straightened her shoulders, placing herself squarely between him and Vivaan.
"You don't get to put your hands on someone because you're angry," she said. "You don't get to hit people because your ego got bruised."
He let out a short, humorless laugh. "Your friend crashed into my car."
"And you assaulted him," she shot back.
Behind her, Vivaan wiped the blood from his lip, stunned. "Reva, it's fine. Don't-"
"It's not fine," she snapped, not taking her eyes off the man in front of her.
The man studied her openly now, gaze sweeping over her face. The messy ponytail. The exhaustion in her eyes. The fury she wasn't bothering to hide.
"You slapped me," he said slowly, as if tasting the words.
"Yes," Reva replied. "And if you try to touch him again, I'll do worse."
The man's jaw tightened. For a moment, Reva thought he might lash out.
Instead, he straightened.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He adjusted his shirt, fingers brushing the spot on his cheek where her hand had landed. The skin there was already faintly red.
She turned to Vivaan, reaching out to steady him. "Are you okay?"
He nodded, still dazed. "Yeah. I think so."
The man took a step back, eyes never leaving Reva's face. "This isn't over," he said quietly.
Reva met his gaze without flinching. "I wasn't planning on it being."
For a long moment, they stared at each other. Two fires colliding. Neither willing to back down.
Then he turned and walked away, each step controlled, fury coiled tightly beneath the surface.
Reva didn't watch him leave.
She focused on her friend instead, heart still racing, adrenaline buzzing through her veins.
Only later, much later, would it hit her.
She had just slapped a stranger with power written all over him.
And nothing in her life was about to stay the same.
---